Literature Review- Andjulon Richardson

COMMENTED ON BERANDA AND SHERRY'S LITERATURE REVIEWS

Literature Review of Volunteer Retention

Andjulon J. Richardson

Ball State University

Introduction

The retention of volunteers has become one of volunteer agency and programs’ developing concerns. Volunteer retention mainly deals with ensuring that those who take part of volunteering return to volunteer again. However the question remains as to why volunteer retention is important to begin with. The overall nature of volunteering alone can be seen as reason to investigate what factors increase volunteer retention. Volunteering itself enhances the foundational structure of society, and perpetuates cohesiveness among society. The role retention plays is to ensure continuation of this cohesiveness. This paper seeks to analyze the literature that surrounds the topic of volunteer retention, as well as provide synthesis and recommendation to increase retention in the future.

Themes

           

There has been extensive research and publication of materials concerning the retention of volunteers, and there are a few resounding themes that resonate.  These themes included promotion of a sense of community involvement for retention of volunteers, how well the volunteer fits within a volunteer organization, how well an organization shows its appreciation for its volunteers, and the various incentives used to entice volunteers to stay. For instance, Carolyn Bourke stated, “Twenty six per cent of the Fairfield volunteers surveyed said that meeting and getting to know people was one of the most valuable aspects of the volunteering experience. Volunteers also need to feel a connection with the people in the organization and to be treated as if they belong (Bourke, 2009)”.

            In addition Dan McCole, Jeffery Jacobs, Betsy Lindley, and Leo McAvoy stated “results showed a strong link between an individual’s sense of community toward his or her work organization and year-to-year retention and offer guidance to managers of seasonal employees interested in addressing retention issues within their organizations (McCole, Jacobs, Lindley, & McAvoy, 2012)”. This particular statement further illustrates the theme that volunteers who feel a strong sense of community increase the rate of retention.

            Another article that addresses the theme that the fit of the volunteer with an organization strongly dictates how likely retention is to occur states “From the perspectives of both the employee and the organization, the fit between the individual and the organization is also critical to continued involvement and productivity (Kim, Chelladurai, & Trail, 2007)”.  This particular statement addresses notion that if an individual fits well within the framework of a volunteering organization, there is a strong indication that retention would occur.

            As mentioned previously, there has been publication of materials that support the theme that organizations that show an appreciation toward their volunteers are more likely to retain those volunteers. For instance, Ciara D’wyer and Virpi Tirmonen state, “there is a growing recognition that the recruitment and retention of volunteers is largely dependent on organizations showing an appreciation for and striving to meet the multiplicity of motivations which each volunteer brings to their voluntary work (O'Dwyer & Timonen, 2009)”.

             The final theme to be analyzed is the incentives that come along with volunteering, such as a sense of giving back to the community. According to Selina Khoo and Rich Engelhorn, some of the indications of retention included “wanting to do something worthwhile, wanting to help make the event a success, wanting to help create a better society, and wanting to give back to the community (Khoo & Engelhorn, 2011)”.

Implications

            Based on the various literature on retention, we can concur that volunteer retention is increased when (a) volunteers have a sense of community, (b) organizations show an appreciation for their volunteers, (c) there is a good fit between the volunteer and the organization, and (d) the various incentives volunteers receive as part of their service. These implications can serve volunteering organizations as a starting point for determining a suitable and effective method for retaining its volunteers.

            With regards to the first implication of volunteer retention, this paper seeks to suggest ways in which an organization can increase the sense of community that volunteers have. As with many of the other implications, there will be multiple prongs to the delivery of these solutions. Bringing a sense of community to those who participate in volunteering can be a daunting task. Especially when dealing with individuals who are not from the community in which the volunteering event is taking place, organizations can find that enhancing a sense of belonging within a short time frame can be rather difficult.

            To address the implication that retention is increased when volunteers feel a sense of community, the first step to this would be to implement initiatives at the organizational level. Volunteering organizations should organize icebreaker activities and orientations that promote interaction and discussion among those who are volunteering and the community. These activities could range from cookouts to more formal, information gathering sessions. In this regard, volunteers are offered a chance to get to know the members of the community. What this in turn does is put faces to the community, and makes the overall experience more personal. Personal relationships can be formed, and volunteers can begin to feel a deeper sense of community.

            Another initiative that organizations can implement in order to build a stronger sense of community among volunteers is to create alumni groups that comprise of volunteers that have participated within a particular community’s events. As volunteers put in more and more years of volunteer service, this will be designated as a certain status symbol that will be visible to others. For example, an organization could t-shirts that volunteers wear when conducting their volunteering service. Included on each of the t-shirts could be a number that signifies how many years each volunteer has conducted volunteer service. The signification of how many years of volunteering service solidifies both the volunteers’ as well as well as community’s notion of community togetherness.

            With regards to the second initiative, there are a couple ways in which organizations can go about showing appreciation towards their volunteers. The reasoning behind the show of appreciation is that if a volunteer feels that his or her work is valued and appreciated, then that particular person will be more likely to repeat their volunteering. The volunteer’s gratification does not come from monetary or other material compensation, but rather the knowledge that others merely appreciate what has been done.

            There are a couple of ways in which organizations can show appreciation towards their volunteers. The first way that an organization can show appreciation for its volunteers would be to hold an event that would recognize the efforts of the volunteers. This would not have to necessarily be an awards ceremony where trophies or medals were handed out. Rather this could be an event that celebrates the commitment made by the volunteers over the course of the volunteering event. Not only could the volunteers and other organizers be invited, but also members of the community and other stakeholders as well. This way, not only is there a show of appreciation by the organization that has put on the volunteering event, but there is also an opportunity for the community to show their appreciation as well. It is the conclusion of this paper that with the combination of both community and organization show of appreciation will imbed within the volunteer’s memory the appreciation of their volunteering service.

            Another way in which organizations can show their appreciation towards their volunteers is to provide the volunteer with something that is of value to the volunteer. However, while this can be an effective means of showing appreciation, this type of compensation can sometimes be taken out of context. For example, if an organization offers all volunteers a restaurant gift card for their volunteering service, this could easily be construed as having the wrong motivation for engaging in volunteering. In this case, volunteers were motivated not by the appreciation received, but rather the anticipated reward. However, this paper has a potential solution to this dilemma. Instead of enticing potential volunteers with the promise of a gift or reward for volunteering, the organization could surprise the volunteers at the end of the volunteering experience. This way, the reward comes after the volunteer has completed the volunteering activity, and the positive reinforcement ensures that the volunteer is likely to return.

            With regards to the implication that retention could be increased if the fit of the volunteer and organization is good, there are ways in which an organization can seek to impose this. One of the ways in which an organization can ensure that there is a good fit between the volunteer and the organization is to pre-qualify those who wish to volunteer for the organization prior to becoming a volunteer. By doing this, an organization is afforded the opportunity to screen potential candidates that do not align with the direction that the organization wishes to take its volunteering efforts. By obtaining volunteers that align with the company’s objectives, a company can be better assured that the volunteer will be more likely to return in the future.

            The final implication that can help ensure an increase in retention of volunteers is the application of various incentives to motivate individuals. This should not be confused with the concept of giving volunteers a gift to show appreciation. Rather, this is an attempt to provide volunteers with something that will be valuable that is not material in nature. For example, an organization can illustrate to its volunteers that educational benefits of volunteering, whether it be leadership skills or management skills. This implication merely seeks to enlighten volunteers of the inherent and subtle benefits of being a volunteer.

The Themes/Ideas of Literature	Application of Main Ideas into Practice
Idea 1- Volunteers need a sense of community	Provide activities and opportunities for volunteers and community to interact.
Idea 2- Volunteers need to be shown appreciation	Organizations should hold celebrations and recognition events.
Idea 3- There should be a good fit between the organization and volunteer	Pre-qualify volunteers to ensure a proper fit.
Idea 4- Utilize various incentives	Show volunteers the possible benefits for being a volunteer

Bibliography

Bourke, C. (2009). Working with Volunteers: Opportunity and Potential. Aplis , 22 (4), 181-183.

Khoo, S., & Engelhorn, R. (2011). Volunteer Motivations at a National Special Olympics Event. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly , 28, 27-39.

Kim, M., Chelladurai, P., & Trail, G. (2007). A Model of Volunteer Retention in Youth Sport. Journal of Sport Management , 21, 151-171.

McCole, D., Jacobs, J., Lindley, B., & McAvoy, L. (2012). The Relationship Between Seasonal Employee Retention and Sense of Community: The Case of Summer Camp Employment. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration , 30 (2), 85-101.

O'Dwyer, C., & Timonen, V. (2009). Doomed to Extinction? The Nature and Future of Volunteering for Meals-on-Wheels Services. Voluntas , 20, 35-49.